(engine revving)
- This little flathead Ford is an icon.
A symbol for an entire era.
It gave birth to the hot rod movement
and didn't even need an epidural.
This is everything you need to know to get up to speed
on the Ford Deuce Coup.
(techno music)
the Ford Motor Company was riding high
on the success of the Model A, the Model T's successor
that offered contemporary luxuries
like electric engine starters and fancy styling
for a low low price.
Ford's thang had always been offering the best car
fur the lowest price.
But in the early '30s, Ford was feeling the heat
from its competitors.
Ford decided that, once again, another game changer was due.
The name of the game for Ford's new model
would be innovation.
Many cars of the era had bodies that was little more
than steel nailed to wooden frames.
Just like my high school girlfriend.
This meant that when the car was outside,
which to this day, is where cars spend most of their time.
(chiming sound)
Anyway, when it was outside, it was completely exposed to
moisture, dry root, heat, and most of all termites.
I mean guys, can you imagine getting into your car
and finding termites in it?
What the (beep).
A car in the '30s was no way as durable as yours is today
until Ford whipped up a little thing called
the Steele Enforced Body for their new car.
Not only would a steel body be much stronger
but it would also hold up --
(grunts)
against the elements for decades to come.
Hmm, that sounds like a specific detail
that will be important later on in the story.
I guess you'll have to hit that subscribe button
to find out.
The 1932 Ford platform would be shared between two cars.
The Model B and the Model 18.
Both models came in a wide variety of different versions.
There was the Coupe, the 2-Door Sedan, the 4-Door Sedan,
the Cabriolet, the Phaeton, the Pickup,
and most importantly, the Roadster.
And remember, all of these cars were available
as both the Model B and the Model 18.
For the mathematically challenged out there
who don't happen to be a math boy like me,
that means Ford was selling 14 different versions
of the same car.
And you thought the Jeep Wrangler had a ton of options.
Henry Ford had wanted an eight cylinder engine
in one of his cars since the release of the Model T.
His first real attempt was in 1922
with his X-8 Prototype engine
which was basically a radio engine like plans use.
But, it didn't work because of cooling problems.
Henry was pissed
but he didn't give up.
The Model 8 came out in 1927 and Henry pressured
his engineers to get a V-8 out the door and soon.
(horn blowing)
Too sweet.
Turns out Ford's instincts were correct
because in 1929, Chevy debuted their V6
which made gobs more power than the Model 8 did.
This enraged Henry.
The advancement at Chevy meant Ford was working double time
to finish their V8.
If Ford could be the first ones to market an affordable
eight cylinder engine, it could change the game entirely.
But there were a few reasons why no one had done it before.
First, most V8s at the time were cast in several pieces
then bolted together.
Ford hated the thought of it.
Second, V8s didn't run nearly as smooth as inline designs
and people thought a V8 would just shake the car apart.
Neither of these reasons deterred Henry.
People at Ford were so skeptical of building a good V8
in time that Henry's own son insisted
that the company build a V6 instead.
But there was one thing they didn't count on.
The fact that Henry Ford was possibly the most stubborn
person to ever live.
So, Henry pressed forward and wary of the skepticism
within the company, had four separate teams --
Four!
Working on four separate V8 designs.
All of them unaware of each other's existence.
Even though he wasn't an engine builder himself,
Henry insisted on getting the teams strict guidelines
to stick to regardless if they made sense or not.
Henry forbode one team from using a water pump
on their design.
On another, Ford told them they couldn't use an oil pump
which was weird because the Model A had one.
What the heck, Ford?
Finally, after only 16 months of design time,
Ford had his V8.
Measuring in at 221 cubic inches, the engine made 81 hrsprs
and had a dope name, the Ford Flathead.
(engine accelerating)
unlike modern engines, the Flathead's entire valvetrain
lived inside the engine block.
But the rush to development of a Flathead meant
there were going to be some problems.
And remember, this engine is going in
all of the new Model 18's.
It wasn't uncommon for the new Flathead to burn
through all of its oil before the gas tank was empty
and since Ford didn't quite nail the casting,
engines could straight up break in half
and piston failure was rampant.
See, this is what happens when you rush things.
Kids, I know you're watching.
Don't half ass your homework.
Do your best and your homework won't split in half
when your teacher turns it on.
Where's a little advice (sucking noise) from UncleJames.
The Flathead made 25 more hrsprs than Chevy's V6
and not only that, the Ford was lighter.
Despite numerous problems, people really loved the V8
and the '32 Ford by extension.
Before, eight cylinder engines were only available
from high end brands like Cadillac.
But now, thanks to Ford's unhinged obsession,
the common folk could enjoy one of life's great pleasures,
the howl of a naturally aspirated V8.
(engine revving)
In the first year of production, Ford sold nearly 300,000
cars powered by the Flathead.
Production of the Model 18 continued until 1934
with only one major variation,
the grill.
You can tell '32's apart from '33's and '34's by the shape
in their mouths.
This is really riveting.
After World War dub ended, millions of GI's were coming home
starting families and making decent wages
for the first time.
Everybody was buying a new car.
That means all the old Flathead cars people had
in their driveways were being put out to pasture.
Suddenly, you could get a V8 on the cheap.
And because of those steel reinforced bodies,
the cars were still in good shape.
Greasers started picking up Flatheads and souping them up
with cams, better heads and better valves.
And so, a movement was born.
(engine revving)
It didn't take long for the hot rod scene to start mixing
it up with the surfing scene in Southern California.
Surf rock bands like The Beach Boys started singing
about it which took the whole thang mainstream.
♪ She's my little deuce coup. ♪
Soon enough, everyone but their dad,
which are lame.
Dads suck.
Was hot rodding old Flathead Fords.
Today people still can't get enough
of the Little Deuce Coup.
There's tons of companies out here
producing brand new '32 Ford bodies.
Apparently, there are more '32's registered in California
then 32's were built in '32.
People are building Highboys, Lowboys, Dragboys,
Autocrossboys, Alterboys, Deuce Coupes, Deuce Scoops,
Scoopity Doopity Woops.
Poops!
And, they're not all powered by Flatheads.
People will throw almost anything under the hood of a '32.
From the Ford Coyote five liter, to the Chevy 350,
even Ferrari engines.
The truth is, the only limiting factor
in style and performance is your own creativity.
But whatever it ends up being, it's a '32 Ford
and it's yours.
(engine revving)
Thank you.
Hit the subscribe and the bell so you don't miss anything.
Are Fords really dying?
Check out this episode of Wheel House.
You still wanna learn about Fords?
Watch this episode of Up To Speed.
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